SSN is a digest of the day's soccer/football/futbol articles with a focus on the top European leagues and the United States National Team. Below, you’ll find links to articles and video, as well as additional features and commentary. We locate the top news of the day so you can stay updated with ease.

Friday, November 08, 2013

And that's another week in the bin, as they say. If you've not already, start your Friday by checking out SSN Serie A Expert Alessandro Buonjourno née Alessandro Cazzojourno's report from a variety of matches in England.

We'll get back to that part of the world shortly, but for now let's return Stateside. LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders will not win The MLS Cup this year. That is because Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo knocked the West Coasters out, respectively. Avi Creditor has Three Thoughts on LA's ouster, and Alexander Abnos has Three Thoughts about the Timbers toppling the Sounders.

Timbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers!

Back to Europe (that didn't take long) where the secondary club competition lit up the stadia last night. No real surprises. Spurs shot down the Sheriff, Swansea have to wait to advance and Lazio do as well. Hit this if you're interested.

Alessandro Cazzojourno apparently enjoyed hanging out with Scott Murray of The Guardian last week. The best we can do is check in with Murray for today's Joy of Six. Scott's talking FA Cup first round memories. Why? Because the FA Cup first round gets underway today.

We might as well stick with the UK since we're there. In the Premier League, the biggie comes Sunday (11:10am, EST, NBCSN) when Manchester United host Arsenal. Elsewhere, Newcastle welcome Spurs, West Brom go to Chelsea, Liverpool host Fulham, and Manchester City are at Sunderland. Here's your lot:

Poor Freddy Adu. What a bust. A Bahian Bust, if you will. Yes, the latest failure is ongoing in Brazil. Grant Wahl takes a look. Sticking with Yanks Abroad, Sacha Kljestan says The Zlatan made fun of his mustache during the PSG/Anderlecht Champions League match on Tuesday. It is pretty bad, Sacha...

After leaving Milan following Inter's 4-2 win over Hellas Verona, SSN's Serie A Expert Alessandro Buonjourno changed his name to Alessandro Cazzojourno and headed to England. Alessandro took in Arsenal vs. Liverpool, Everton vs. Tottenham, and Manchester City vs. CSKA Moscow. In London he was blindsided by the news that his old pal and host for the evening was dating one Scott Murray of The Guardian, and that the three would dine together. Quite the trip, indeed, and those of us forced to remain at SSN Headquarters will no doubt make Alessandro suffer for his good fortune for years to come. He'll be making the coffee and paying for lunch for a while, let's just say. He filed this report. -The Editor

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A tedious arrival into a typically overcast London via Standstill Stansted ended with an impossibly excellent surprise courtesy of my host, friend, and college editor Wendy Mitchell, following an exchange something the lines of:

Me: So is your boyfriend joining us for dinner?

Wendy: I’m not sure, he’s not feeling great and he has to cover the matches tomorrow.

Me: (curiosity piqued) Which matches?

Wendy: Newcastle / Chelsea. And yours.

Me: (really curious now) Ummm….who exactly is your boyfriend?

Wendy: His name’s Scott Murray.

Me: (full-on yelling) YOU’RE DATING SCOTT MURRAY?!?

Scott Murray, Guardian sports editor/genius, frequently found at the helm of The Rumour Mill, The Fiver, minute-by-minute reports, and occasionally amongst the Football Weekly podcasters...familiarize yourself with his work if you haven't already. I could scarcely believe my luck and the small-world-ness of it. Not surprisingly, he's even funnier in person, and was a great sport about answering my many questions about football, journalism, and his role at the intersection of the two. He also talked about the Liverpool and World Cup books he's working on (keep an eye out in April), and I even managed to conjure a few laughs out of him while not coming off as too much of a weirdo by quoting things he'd written (and sometimes forgotten he'd written). Talk about a result...crikey! Not that he needed to bolster his credentials, but he did correctly predict an Arsenal victory. Which brings us to...

Two goals to the good. Alessandro with Laura Webb.

Emirates was a grand time. Chelsea blowing it at Newcastle set the stage nicely, and after a few pints at The Twelve Pins with ticket connection and peach of a Gooner Gal Laura Webb and her mates Christoph and Paul, we set out to grab our seats, which were lower level, about nine rows behind goal. Mental. This made for the expected two-dimensionality at the far end of the pitch, but watching Cazorla's strike bulge the back of the net in the slow-motion that seems to take effect in those moments was just outstanding, the pinging off the post right beforehand only adding to the adrenaline surge. A German fellow behind me seemed to think the crowd was chanting "Oh, Sexy Cazor-la!", which he certainly was after that strike. Hard to fully appreciate the craft of Ramsey's goal from our vantage point, but seeing the replay certainly helped explain the absolute shockwave of a roar that made its way across pitch from the opposite end. What it's all about, really.

As for Liverpool, Flanagan didn't look ready for prime time, while the fabled Suarez/Sturridge partnership never looked like igniting, and seemed positively frayed towards the end, with Sturridge casting outstretched, pleading arms and a long, frustrated glare at Luis after some selfish shot selection -- that was intense to see. Though Suarez...even on an off night...my word, you really understand what a handful he is up close like that. Apart from some singing early on the away support was a pretty massive disappointment: Nary a single verse of You'll Never Walk Alone! Kam ON, lads!!! Maybe they just knew it wasn't their night. We were only a few rows away from their section, and it was sobering to see one Scouser in a nice retro track top wiping away tears at the final whistle. On the walk home I was able to grab a decent shot of the stadium from a distant bridge (see below), a fitting punctuation to an unforgettable night.

Emirates Bridge View

One grueling Megabus ride north later I was savoring 'real ales' at Doctor Duncan's with my former-penpal-turned-actual-friend/Manchester host Joe Pollitt, and his Everton mate Kev - two bona fide class acts - on what turned out to be a gorgeous day in Liverpool, which along with the atmosphere and experience of being tucked under the awning at Goodison were the highlights of what was otherwise an absolutely diabolical day of football. Really, REALLY hard to believe either of those sides are in the mix for Champion's League on evidence of that abject display. Crazy seeing Lloris getting knocked out though, and the 'thudthudthud' of seats flapping up as people stood up for approaching action (or lack thereof) being concentrated by the roof right above our head was pretty awesome. Every bit the portal into what football used to be like that I'd hoped.

Goodi-sun Park

Champion's League! A-HA! It was Guy Fawkes and fireworks were in the air as me and Joe and his gang of City regulars trekked over to the Etihad for City/ CSKA Moscow. It was precisely the kind of pounding the shirtless mass of xenophobic cretins in the away end deserved, though hats off to them for the sustained din they created during the match. Impressive. And what a performance by Negredo. Hat trick! "Beast of the Match," as the announcer said, channeling his inner Partridge... Not sure where this side were for the FA Cup Final but on their night they possess formidable graft, craft, power, and pace.

City vs. CSKA

The time in Manchester shattered all expectations. Fantastic people, food, architecture, history, beer, loads of music history... Plus the occasional overheard gem like "James Milner's dog had a wee on my gatepost this morning. He looked a bit embarrassed." Three points on Sunday, and it will be one hell of a trip.

Thursday, November 07, 2013

Apologies for yesterday's radio silence, friends. SSN Headquarters had to be evacuated due to a mold issue. All is sorted now, though, so let's get to it, shall we? The obvious place to begin is in the Champions League. Barcelona beat a waning Milan side (Messi's "crisis" is over -- he scored twice) and are already through to the knock-out stage. The other big result came from Germany where Arsenal managed to nick three points from Dortmund thanks to yet another Aaron Ramsey goal. Chelsea had little trouble with Schalke (Eto'o embarrassed Timo Hildebrand - see below) while Napoli beat Marseille 3-2. Let the fun begin:

The Secret Footballer has a new book out and he's talking San Siro, his father, and Fabio Capello. The Guardian has an exclusive extract here and it makes for an enjoyable little read.

There was a What's in Your Wallet? Cup match yesterday between Sunderland and Southampton. Thanks to Yank Abroad Jozy Altidore, Sunderland got the win and will face Chelsea in the next round. Jozy didn't score, but he was instrumental in his side's two goals. Well done, son.

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Most Tuesdays are big days at SSN Headquarters. Today is no exception. Let's hit the ground running with the Podcast: We're live and unleashed for this edition of Football Weekly, recorded in front of literally squillions (well, 75) of fans in Swansea's Dylan Thomas Centre. It's a wonder that Jimbo, Barry Glendenning, Rafa Honigstein and James Horncastle made it out alive. On our agenda: all the action from the weekend in the Premier League - not least Arsenal's victory over Liverpool and Cardiff's victory in the South Wales derby - and the return of the Champions League. With Manchester City hosting CSKA Moscow, Arsenal hoping to exact some revenge on Dortmund and Barcelona taking on Milan, it's quite a few days of European jiggery-pokery in store.

The Republic of Ireland has a new manager. Actually, a team of managers. Actually, Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane. Yes, Trap has gone and the men upstairs in Dublin reckon these two freaks are the best man (men) for the job. If nothing else, it'll be fun to watch.

"You don't like something I do? Tough shit. I'll break your leg."

As mentioned, it is Tuesday, so that can only mean one thing. It's time for Gab Marcotti's Monday Musings. Today, Gab's musing on Lloris' health, Milan's misery and a close call for Real Madrid.

You know what? We haven't checked in with a bunch of Americans Abroad of late. Sure, we know what Bradley, Altidore, and Guzan are up to, but what about all the other guys? Guys like Mike Grella, Freddy Adu, and DaMarcus Beasley? Let's check in.

In Spain, Bale had another strong outing as Real Madrid won at neighbors Rayo Vallecano. Elsewhere, the other Madrid team in the top flight, Atletico, got goals once again from David Villa and Diego Costa to win and keep the pressure on Barcelona.